A Sufi Approach to the Contemplative Understanding of Sūrat al Fātiḥah: The Case of Tuan Guru Haji Ya‘kub bin ‘Abd al-Rashīd

This study examines the Sufi approach developed by Tuan Guru Haji Ya‘kub ‘Abd al-Rashīd (TGHY) in understanding and internalising Sūrat al-Fātiḥah within the Patani Islamic intellectual tradition. It specifically analyses the Sufi concepts underlying his interpretation and examines how these concepts are connected to spiritual internalisation in ritual prayer. Employing qualitative textual and thematic analysis, the study examines his treatise, Ini Keringkasan Arti-Arti yang Dibaca di Dalam Sembahyang, as the primary source, complemented by selected classical Sufi exegetical works and oral historical accounts. This textual analysis is supplemented by secondary data from authoritative classical Sufi exegeses such as those by al-Ghazālī, al-Qushayrī, and Ibn ʿAjībah, alongside oral interviews with his prominent disciples. The findings indicate that his approach emphasises tazkiyat al-nafs, ḥuḍūr al-qalb, ʿubūdiyyah, and inward contemplation of Sūrat al-Fātiḥah as means of deepening the servant’s relationship with Allah SWT during ritual prayer. The study further identifies a localized pattern of Sufi Qur’anic interpretation that integrates classical spiritual concepts with everyday religious instruction in the Patani context. Ultimately, this research underscores the continuity and vitality of localized Sufi hermeneutics in the Malay world.

Tuan Guru Haji Ya‘kub ‘Abd al-Rashīd; Sufism; Sūrat al-Fātiḥah; Tazkiyat al-Nafs; Patani Scholarly Tradition

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